Florida State University system becomes the first to allow use of Classic Learning Test on admission
The Florida State University system voted Friday to allow the use of the Classic Learning Test for admission, becoming the first state system in the nation to do so.
The test provides an alternative to the existing SAT and ACT options for admissions.
The Classic Learning Test uses the “greatest and most enduring texts that have informed and shaped society,” according to the frequently asked questions section on the exam website.
Readings used on the test come from texts including the ancient Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, Plato’s “Republic,” the Federalist Papers, and works by Booker T. Washington and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, according to the Florida Phoenix nonprofit news site.
On the exam’s “About” page, the test is sold as existing to “reconnect knowledge and virtue by providing meaningful assessments and connections to seekers of truth, goodness, and beauty.”
Although the test has been associated with Christian colleges, it does not have an overtly religious or politically partisan character.
“This is not a Christian test, and we are not a Christian company. The CLT is a test for everyone from any educational background. We want people to know it is not a partisan exam. It is not a red-state exam,” CLT spokesperson Taryn Boyes told the Florida Phoenix.
A release from the State University System of Florida Board of Governors says that over 200 schools nationwide accept the test, which was first offered in 2015.
Florida officials took a combative tone in advocating for accepting CLT for stage college admissions.
“Not intimidated by controversy or critics, our focus is on the success of our students, and the State of Florida. Because we reject the status quo, today’s decision means we are better serving students by giving them an opportunity to showcase their academic potential and paving the path to higher education,” state officials wrote in their announcement.
SUSF chancellor Ray Rodrigues told Inside Higher Ed that “our system is never content to rest on our laurels.”
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.